this sheet of
water at the foot of the perpendicular cliffs was gloomy and creepy.
There was, too, a mystery about it, for it had no visible source.
There was no ripple on its smooth surface, no trace of a current,
except in the centre, where, from time to time, bubbles appeared and
disappeared, leaving just a trace of foam. They tossed pebbles in to
judge the depth from the sound which ranged from the "splash" of the
shallows to the gurgling "plop" of the deeps, and followed the
pebbles with rocks, till at last the sluggish pool was stirred and
furrowed with waves. And in the very midst of their sport a black
hand appeared above the waters, and with a heavy roll the body
itself floated before them, dead and stark.

The boys stood with their hands arrested, staring at this startling
apparition.

Slowly it drifted away, the strong white teeth set in a grin, a dark
oily stain trailing from numerous wounds on the body and limbs.

"It's a cannibal," said Compton, in a whisper.

"How did he come to be here?" muttered Venning, with a fearful
glance around.

They stepped back to the shelter of a tree, and listened, for if one
cannibal had found his way to the pool, it was pretty certain that
others had. But there was no sound down in those shaded depths. The
little waves on the pool quieted down, the surface recovered its
glassy smoothness, the bubbles reappeared in the centre, and broke
with a faint noise audible yet in the stillness. The pool had
yielded up one of its secrets, and the poor body was now come to the
end of its voyage, anchored apparently against a log of wood which
had grounded against the bank.

"We can't leave it there!"

"No, Dick."

But the sudden, unexpected, ghastly upheaval from the deep of that
stark body had naturally badly shaken them, and they stood where
they were in nervous expectation of some other horror. If this place
was "taboo" except to one yet unknown to them, it might be that
solitary priest or priestess of the pool was now watching them, even
if there were no other cannibals near at hand. So they lingered yet
a little longer behind their tree, advancing a foot again and again,
only to withdraw it at some fancied noise.

At last Compton stepped out with his carbine at the ready, stood on
the shore a moment then went on till he was opposite the dead man.
There Vending joined him.

There was a movement in the water among some reeds, then a ripple
like that made by a heavy fis